Foreign Ministry's press releases

Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Väyrynen commented the outcome of a citizen survey on development cooperation and policy released in the Foreign Ministry on Wednesday, 14 July. Minister Väyrynen agrees with the majority of citizens who believe that development cooperation alone is not enough to achieve sustainable development results.

Commissioner for Development Andris Piebalgs visits Helsinki on the invitation of Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Väyrynen on 8-9 July. The discussions will, inter alia, touch upon the idea of a global strategy for the EU proposed by Minister Väyrynen in the Development Ministers meeting in June, the EU-US dialogue on development policy, issues pertaining to the Lisbon treaty and the new EU External Action Service, climate funding, and productivity of development cooperation.

Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Väyrynen has granted 1.5 million euros in financial support to the Gaza Summer Games 2010, a children’s event organized by the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees UNRWA.

Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb will make official visits to Moldova on Wednesday, 7 July and Ukraine on Thursday, 8 July.

Foreign Minister of Israel Avigdor Liberman visits Finland on Tuesday 6 July on the invitation of Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb.

In response to the UN emergency appeal for Kyrgyzstan, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Väyrynen has decided on humanitarian assistance to the crisis of the Fergana Valley in southern Kyrgyzstan. The total of 400 000 euro will be channeled through the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the World Food Programme (WFP).

Press Counsellor, Ms Veera Heinonen, 39, has been appointed to a five year-term as Director of Communications at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, starting 15 October 2010. In this position she follows Director General Petri Tuomi-Nikula.

In the keynote speech given at the Development Cooperation Forum of the UN Economic and Social Council’s 2010 High-Level Segment on 29 June, Minister Väyrynen suggested that reform of the G 20 and linking it with official global institutions should be considered. “On the basis of practical needs, the G 20 has become a forum for broad-ranging discussion and decision-making. I think, however, that it should be reformed and linked with official global institutions,” Väyrynen proposed.

The Department for Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs helps the countries of Central Asia – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan – and the South Caucasus – Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia – to develop the basic institutions of a modern market society: an employment service system, occupational health and safety practices and national social security systems.

Her Imperial Highness Princess Takamado of Japan will visit Finland on the invitation of the President of the Republic Tarja Halonen on 30 June - 5 July.